Q. We'd like to ask you some questions about your company's new product: "beautiful custom-build placard holders".

A. Fire away!

Q. Can you describe the material used in the placard holders?

A. These are made from three select softwoods from the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S. The wood was hand-selected by our buyers from a distributor with nationwide reach, who was able to supply these woods in the exact dimensions we required.

Q. You mean Spruce, Pine, and Fir?

A. Exactly.

Q. What are the exact dimensions?

A. Each placard holder is 1.5 inches (38.1 mm) by 3.5 inches (88.9 mm) by 8.0 inches (203.2 mm). Of course, we purchased lengths of 2438.4 mm and machined them to provide the individual pieces of 203.2 mm.

Q. It sounds like a bunch of cut-off 2x4’s.

A. Well, you might say that your entire house is just a bunch of cut-off 2x4’s. The Taj Mahal is made entirely of rocks. But it’s the craftsmanship and attention to detail which makes a superior product.

Q. Can you describe the machining steps?

A. Yes. Each placard holder required 12 discrete machining steps. Take a look at the slot which holds the placard. The basic slot is inclined 25°, and requires three machining steps to form to exact width required. Next, two 45° chamfers of two different widths are added to allow easy insertion of the placard, yet maximize placard retention. Chamfers are applied to each critical edge of the holder.

Q. Wow, that sounds like precision machining. Where do your get your machinery?

A. We purchase our woodworking machinery from the same nationwide distributor where we purchase our select softwoods.

Q. You mean Home Depot?

A. Yes.

Q. Can you describe your quality control procedures?

A. Certainly. We utilize two high-resolution optical sensors to examine each placard holder for defects at every step in the production process.

Q. You mean you use your eyeballs?

A. Yes.

Q. Can you describe the finish of the pieces?

A. Each piece is finished in a high-quality, weatherproof, pigmented coating. The color is a creamy light green, reminiscent of colors favored during the Art Deco period, and also resembles those used on some automobiles and motorcycles from the 1920’s through the early 1950’s. The color resembles PMS 365 in the Pantone Matching System, but it is composed of a unique blend of pigments.

Q. You mean you got it at the "Oops" paint shelf at Home Depot for $1 a quart?

A. It was serendipity. Our customer was concerned about cost, and we found a suitable coating with the exact color the customer required at a very fortuitous price. Win-win situation.